"Oh man," muttered Jason. "I think this is swelling." He gestured to his knee, which was looking a little puffy.
"Perhaps you should consider applying ice." Billy said helpfully. He wiped the blood off his scraped face absentmindedly as he spoke.
"I can't believe the save you made." Zack's face danced with remembered excitement. "You were lucky you hit the dirt instead of Bulk's cleats."
Billy nodded. He had a feeling that when his own excitement wore off, he was going to regret trying out for the goalie position in a big way. He saw his mother's car pull in. "My mom's here... either of you need a ride?"
They shook their heads. "Are you stopping by the Youth Center this afternoon?" Jason asked. Saturdays at the Youth Center were usually pretty cool... today there was going to be a computer game demonstration that Jason knew Billy would love.
"Of course. See you in about an hour?" They nodded agreement and Billy walked to the waiting car.
His mother was not enthralled with his appearance. "Did your teammates draw enough blood?" June Cranston smiled a little, but her voice was concerned. She didn't like sports and she didn't like seeing her only child look like he'd been mashed between some trees. "We're stopping at the miniÐmarket."
"Why?"
"Because there's no first aid supplies at the house, and you look like you need a couple boxes of band-aids."
~*~
"Ok." He returned the smile, and trotted over to the market. It was suddenly cold when he stepped into the store, and he let the air conditioning waft over his soaked uniform, enjoying the cool air. He glanced around. The place was fairly empty. Just the cashier and a guy in an army jacket looking over the chips. He quickly located the first aid supplies and picked up what he needed. He saw an ice filled bin and fished out two sodas.
He laid his purchases on the counter and the cashier was ringing him out when he heard a click and felt rough hands grab him from behind. He tried to twist away but his assailant yanked his head back. He felt cold metal pressed up behind his ear.
"Don't fucking move or I'll blow your brains out!" Out of the corner of his eye, Billy caught a hint of camouflage. The guy by the chips evidently. He ceased struggling. The twenty dollars wasn't worth dying for.
"Don't shoot, man." said the clerk. He opened the cash register. "You can have it all, just don't shoot!"
"Put it all in one of those bags!" The clerk did as he was told.
~*~
~*~
June Cranston, unaware of the drama going on inside, opened the door. "Oh my God!" Her natural reaction was to step forward.
"Mom, no!" Billy felt the gun leave his head and twisted around to try and stop the thief, but he was violently shoved, headfirst into the counter. He slid to the floor, stunned and bleeding. As he struggled to regain his feet, the thief extended his arm and fired the pistol six time at point blank range into June's head.
"Bitch." said the thief, and he spat on her as he stepped over her body. Then he was gone.
Billy dimly heard the cashier shrieking over the phone. As he stared at the bloody mass that had seconds earlier been his mother, he reached around to the small of his back and found his morpher. For the first time, touching it in no way reassured him that things would be ok.
~*~
The Juice Bar was pretty full. Computer games, Jason thought, must be more popular than he thought. It wasn't really his thing, and he got the impression that Billy was usually more intrigued with how the game was made, not how it was played. Tommy had decided to do some studying, and Zack had changed his mind about the day's event and had joined the girls over at the park. Jason had considered it, but stayed behind, mostly because his knee really was bothering him. As the place filled up with younger than usual kids, he started to regret his decision to at least wait for Billy. He decided to give his friend ten more minutes and then he was going home.
As he readjusted the ice pack on his knee, he saw Bulk and Skull enter the Youth Center. To his mild surprise, they seemed... somber. Subdued. Almost... shaken. He wondered what was up. Probably, he thought with a grin, they've had yet another defeat in their quest to discover the identities of the Power Rangers.
Skull went right up to the bar. Bulk followed, and then hesitated. He walked over to Jason's table. "Jason," he said in a quiet, unÐBulk like voice, "We've got to talk."
"Okay... have a seat." Jason said. As Bulk sat down heavily, Jason started to get worried.
"Um..." began Bulk, "You know the mini market that's a block away from school?" Jason nodded. "Well, it was robbed this morning."
"Uh, that's too bad." Jason meant that. Angel Grove was fairly crime free but every once in a while.... He didn't really understand why Bulk was acting so... upset. "Was anyone hurt?"
"Yeah." Bulk looked down at his feet. "Look, we haven't always gotten along but... when my dad told me this... I thought you would want to hear it from someone you knew... not on the TV."
"What? Who was hurt?" Jason's worry increased. Something really bad had to have happened... no way was Bulk a good enough actor to fake it this well.
Bulk looked him in the eye. For an instant, he looked almost like an adult. "It was Billy's mom, Jason." As Jason absorbed the news, Bulk continued with, "My dad's a cop, you know... he got called to the scene. They took her to the hospital but... he said she was already dead."
"But I just saw her...." Jason was shocked. It was so sudden. He sat there for a moment, utterly stunned. Then, "Does Billy know?"
Bulk nodded. "He saw the whole thing... my dad said he was pretty messed up... they took him to the hospital too." Bulk looked over to the bar, where Skull was sitting morosely. "Um... look, Skull's kinda upset... they were neighbors and all.... I just thought you'd want to know." He stood up.
So did Jason. "Bulk... I'm glad you told me. Thanks." He held out his hand. Bulk took it and shook with him.
"You're welcome." Bulk went over to the bar and began consoling Skull. Jason watched, suddenly surprising himself with the thought that Bulk and Skull weren't as nasty as they wanted people to think. After a few seconds, he shook off his contemplation and ran out the door. If there was ever a time that Billy needed a friend, it was now.
~*~
"Mr. Cranston...." Jason was at a complete loss. "I'm... sorry." He didn't know what else to say... except, "Where's Billy? Is he ok?"
Mr. Cranston slowly nodded his head, obviously having some difficulty forming an answer. "He'll... he'll be fine." He then burst into tears. The first police officer gave the distraught man a sympathetic hug, and the second police officer gently drew Jason aside.
"Are you a friend of the family?" he asked.
Jason nodded. " Can I see Billy?"
The police officer hesitated. "Well... the doctor should just be finishing up... but they don't usually let nonÐfamily members in...."
"We're cousins." Jason couldn't believe how effortless the lie came. The cop smirked.
"Yeah, right. Over there." The cop pointed to one of the rooms.
He stepped into the treatment room quietly. Billy was sitting on the edge of the examining table. There was a small bandage on his left temple, the only injury Jason could see, aside from the scrapes from the game. For such a little injury, there was a lot of blood on Billy's clothes... his sneakers and socks were soaked. For a second, Jason had no clue as to how that was possible. Then, he realized that it likely wasn't Billy's blood at all. His stomach suddenly felt queasy, but he kept it together.
"Jason..." Billy was looking at him, but not really seeing him. His eyes looked like they were far away. "I think I lost my glasses." His voice was low, almost inaudible, and his skin was pale. Jason could see beads of sweat on his brow and noted that Billy was trembling... almost vibrating. "Have you seen my glasses?"
"No... but I'll keep an eye out for them." Jason took a seat next to him on the table. He wanted to be reassuring but he didn't know what to say. "How do you feel?"
Billy slowly shook his head. "I don't feel anything... the doctor gave me a shot.... I can't think." The trembling increased. Jason put his arm around Billy, partly to comfort him, and partly to keep him from falling off the table. Billy sighed deeply. "It was my fault, Jason. It's all my fault."
"No it wasn't. " Jason hugged Billy.
"Yes it was." Billy insisted. He stared down at his bloody sneakers. "I... I should've moved quicker... gotten the gun away." He fingered his communicator as he spoke. "I could've saved her. But I didn't. It's my fault. It should have been me, not her." He paused, his voice still low and monotone. "I should've died. I deserve to die."
"Billy," Jason was scared but trying hard not to let his fright reach his voice, "It was not your fault. You aren't a bad person. You don't deserve to die. Don't think like that."
"It was my fault." Billy insisted. He blinked a few times, his eyes having trouble keeping in focus. Jason realized that the tranquilizer Billy had been given was probably taking effect. "Have you seen my glasses, Jason?"
"No," Jason said sadly, "But we'll find them."
~*~
Trini knew how her mother felt. Jason had walked over the night before to give her the news. When she'd opened the front door and saw Jason standing on her porch, looking like he'd been clobbered, she had known something horrible had happened. Her first thought had been that Tommy had lost what little was left of his powers. The truth had been far worse.
Mr. Cranston answered the door. He looked ruffled and unkept. His eyes were bloodshot. He looked, Trini realized unhappily, hung over.
"Linda, John...Trini...." Ward seemed a little dazed. "Um... please. Come in...."
He led them to the living room. A bottle of whisky was tipped over on the floor. On one of the end tables was a bottle of gin... mostly empty. There were a few beer cans littered around on the floor. Trini and her parents exchanged knowing looks but said nothing. Trini was appalled but too polite to say anything. Her parents, older and and wiser, were merely even more sympathetic. Ward looked around, and made an effort to pick up. "I'm sorry... the place is a mess...."
John Kwan stepped over to the stricken man. "Ward... don't worry about it." He gently directed Ward to the couch. "We thought you might need a hand with... things."
"Why don't we make some coffee?" Linda nodded to Trini, and they left the men to discuss the arrangements.
The kitchen was in as much of a mess. More liquor bottles were thrown about, and there was broken glass on the floor. Breakfast dishes from the previous day were still in the sink. Sitting on the counter were several bottles of prescription medication. On the table were a pair of bloody sneakers and some equally bloody clothing. Linda quickly located the coffee and got it perking, all the while Trini just gaped about.
Linda looked at the clothes on the table, and sighed. She picked them up and threw them in the trash. That action broke Trini out of her stupor.
"Mom, those are Billy's clothes." She fished them out of the garbage. "He might want them...." Trini was close to tears.
"Honey...." Linda said gently. "Do you really think he'll want them?" Trini looked down at the clothes. It would be impossible to get the stains out, she realized. Linda took the clothes and put them back in the trash can. Then she gave Trini a hug. "It'll be ok... I know this is hard."
Trini smiled, grateful for the comfort. "Maybe," she said, sniffing a little and wiping her eyes, "maybe we should pick up in here... so Mr. Cranston and Billy don't have to?"
"That's what I was thinking." Linda started doing the dishes. Trini picked up the broken glass. As she threw it out, she caught sight of the bloody clothes, a thought struck her with the force of a cannon ball. Billy... where was he?
"Mom, I'm going to find Billy." She waited until her mother acknowledged that.
"OK... but honey... if he's sleeping... don't wake him up." Linda gestured to the prescription bottles. "I can't imagine that he's feeling too good."
~*~
He looked up at her. There were puffy smudges of black under his eyes. "TÐTrini? What arÐrÐre you dÐdoing here?" He uncurled a little and crossed his arms as if he was cold.
"We came over to give you and your dad a hand." She knelt down beside him. "Did you sleep in here?" She was worried.
He nodded. "When we cÐcÐcame bÐback from the hÐhospital... Dad was upset aÐand he kÐkept insisting we bÐbÐboth needed a dÐdrink. I gÐgot sÐsÐsÐso sick." Warning bells went off in Trini's head. Hadn't Jason said that Billy was pretty well tranquilized at the hospital? A lot of alcohol on top of that.... Billy was probably lucky that all he did was throw up. Her anger at Mr. Cranston rose, but she ignored it for the moment. Billy needed her help, and bad mouthing his dad wasn't going to help the situation at all.
"Billy...." She leaned up against him, trying to give him some support. He was shivering and his eyes were dilated. "I think you'd be a lot more comfortable in bed. I'll give you a hand." Without waiting for his consent, she put her arm around him and hefted him up. Fortunately it was only a few staggered steps to Billy's bedroom. She set him down on the bed, and Billy, who was at best semiÐconscious, tipped over on his side and fell asleep.
Or was unconscious... Trini couldn't really tell. She threw a blanket over her friend, and went to find her mom. Someone had to do something.
~*~
Linda gave her daughter another hug. "Honey, he'll be all right... the doctors wouldn't have released him from the hospital if they thought something was seriously wrong."
Trini pushed away and stomped over to the counter. She picked up the medicine bottles. An antibiotic, a painkiller... she held out the last one to her mom. This is Valium, Mom. Jason told me that they gave two of these to Billy before they let him leave. Then Mr. Cranston had him drink God knows how much alcohol... do you see what I'm getting at? He's really sick...."
Linda took the Valium from Trini. "He was drinking... on top of this?" she asked, more to herself than to Trini. "He is breathing, isn't he?" She started to head toward the door, but Trini held up her hand.
"He was talking to me a few minutes ago... sort of, anyway." Trini said. "I just can't believe Mr. Cranston allowed this to happen."
Linda shook her head at Trini. "Oh, Trini.... You're right but you're not. I keep asking myself why didn't we come over last night. It must've been awful... coming home to an empty house, no one to talk to except Billy... and I'm sure Billy was in no shape to give Ward any support. He probably needed it more than his father." She paused, and took Trini's hands in her own. "What's done is done. What we need to do now is help both Mr. Cranston and Billy get themselves back on an even keel." She hesitated, not quite sure of how to say something. "Trini... I know you and Billy are... close...."
Trini blushed. The "sort of" relationship she and Billy had, not quite going out, not quite just friends, was really the last thing she expected her mother to bring up. "Mom...."
"What I'm trying to say is that, right now, Billy needs his friends... just... try to be understanding if in the next couple of weeks he seems... angry or unhappy. He might have some trouble coping, and he might take it out on his friends." Linda gave Trini's hands a gentle squeeze. "Do you understand what I mean?"
Trini nodded. She thought she knew what her mom meant. Her only real concern was the whole Lord Zedd situation. She crossed her fingers and fervently wished that, if nothing else, there were no battles until after the funeral.
~*~
And saw, in his mind, the mini market. He was buying band aids...the guy with the army jacket grabbed him. His mom walking through the door. The gun... the shots....
The blood.
His eyes flew open. The day before rushed back to him. It was overpowering... he suddenly realized that he was holding his breath. He let it out slowly, trying to gain some sense of calmness.
He sat up and put his feet on the floor. When did I change clothes, he wondered. He didn't remember changing... but then, everything after the shooting was blurry... and did he really want to think that hard about the day before? Not really....
His stomach growled. He stood up, and felt a wave of dizziness rush through his head. He swayed but kept his balance. Gingerly, he felt the bandage on his head. It, like almost every other part of him, was sore. _Maybe I can find some aspirin,_ he thought as he padded softly down the hallway, and some food.
He stepped into the kitchen. To his surprise, Tommy and Jason were there... evidently they'd been talking.
~*~
Tommy felt out of place sitting in Billy's kitchen. He hadn't really known Mrs. Cranston that well... they'd said hi a few times but that was about it. She'd seemed nice, she always offered cookies and asked how he was but.... He felt terrible for Billy, that was for sure, but as he listened to Jason's story, he tried to put it in perspective.
"Of course he blames himself." he told Jason. "Wouldn't you? Stop and think about the whole situation.... An hour and a half before you saw him... he was watching some scum bag turn his mom into hamburger. Don't you think that might've messed up his perception?"
Jason had nodded. "It just really worries me... I mean, he said it should've been him. That he was to blame."
"Jason," Tommy said slowly, "Billy's mom could've been hit by a car on the way to work, and Billy would find a way to blame himself. When my parents were killed, I was convinced it was all my fault because they had been driving to pick me up after a karate class." He paused a moment. "It took my aunt months to convince me that I wasn't really to blame. Give Billy some time."
"I will." Jason said "I just hope that Lord Zedd does too." He looked up in surprise as Billy quietly stepped into the kitchen. Billy looked tired. Exhausted. His whole body seemed beaten down. Jason didn't know what to say. "Hey."
"Hey." Billy acknowledged. He hadn't caught any of their conversation except 'Lord Zedd does too'. He didn't much care either. He didn't feel like talking... even thought he was curious to know why Tommy and Jason were hanging out in his house. All he really wanted was something to settle his rolling stomach.
"So...." Jason watched as Billy peered into the fridge. It was painfully obvious that Billy could barely see. "How are you doing?"
As he clenched a carton of something, a wave of pure rage went through Billy. He slammed the refrigerator door and turned around. He was shaking with fury. In the back of his mind, he knew Jason hadn't meant anything by what he said but he couldn't control himself.
"Well, Jase...." he snarled. "Let's see. Yesterday morning, some psychopath killed my mom for about two hundred dollars because I wasn't quick enough to stop him. My father spent the night in an alcoholic coma. I spent the night vomiting, from what I think was an accidental overdose... does that pretty much bring you up to date?" He glared at the two of them. "What the hell are you two doing here anyway? This isn't some circus freak show!" With that, he stormed out of the room, leaving his friends to ponder.
Well, I guess that answers my question." Jason sighed.
Tommy nodded. He was starting realize that Jason might have good reason to be worried.
~*~
"Ha ha ha!" shrieked Rita Repulsa. "Poor Billy lost his mommy! Now is the perfect time to destroy the Power Ranger's think tank!" She continued laughing maniacally. "Let's send down a monster, ZeddieÐpoo!"
"Not so fast, my pet." Zedd crooned. "Let's wait until Billy is at his most vulnerable... then, destroying him will be like crushing an ant!"
"But master..." droned Goldar, "what if his friends try to make him feel better? Maybe we should strike now."
"Nonsense!" Zedd glowed red. "We'll wait until just the right moment... and then... good bye Blue Ranger!"
~*~
"Don't worry." Tommy gave her a reassuring hug as they got out of his car. He knew she was a little phobic about dead things. Zack, Rocky, and Aisha piled out of the back seat. Trini, Adam, and Jason were waiting at the front steps. It was, Kimberly realized with humor, probably the first time in weeks that all nine (including poor Billy inside) friends had been all together. Rocky, Adam and Aisha, like Tommy, were a little uncomfortable since they also hadn't known Mrs. Cranston that well, but they wanted to be supportive.
"Man... what should we say?" Zack tugged at his tie nervously.
"Should we say anything at all?" Rocky asked. He too was a bit nervous.
"Guys... whatever you say will be all right." Aisha said. "Billy just needs to know that we care...."
"Yeah," agreed Jason, "But remember... he's really on edge. This morning, he couldn't even keep still."
"Really, " said Adam. "He was pacing back and forth... jumping at loud noises... he made me nervous."
"Maybe he'll have calmed down a little." Trini suggested, her fingers crossed behind her back in hope.
~*~
Fortunately, he'd found his old pair of glasses... or else he'd have had to find a seeing eye dog. He fiddled with them a little as he stepped out of the viewing room and into the reception hallway. His old glasses reassured him... he didn't know why. And, though he was still feeling terrible and guilty, his more rational side was starting to reassess things. Maybe, he thought to himself as he cleaned the lens, maybe it was just a bad thing to happen. Maybe it wasn't my fault. Or, at least, not entirely my fault. He shook that thought away... thought a small part of him took solace from the idea.
"Hey!" He jumped and spun around. It was Jason, Tommy and Kimberly. Off at the end of the hallway were the rest of his friends. He was overwhelmed.
"Didn't mean to scare you." said Jason. He caught the obvious change from earlier in the day. That morning, they would've had to peel Billy off the ceiling. He saw the slightly glazed look in his friend's eye. Either Billy had simply run out of steam (a possibility) or else he'd had some chemical assistance. Jason considered the situation and inwardly approved. Billy had been way too hyper... he'd needed some help to get control again.
"It's all right." Billy said shakily. Even with the Valium, it took a bit to calm his nerves. "Um... thanks for coming." That was his standard comment to all the visitors; he didn't know what else to say.
"Well..." said Tommy. He looked down at his feet. It was awkward.
The others stepped over... also at a loss for words. Trini and Adam had already done the "I'm so sorry" bit earlier in the day. Rocky and Zack wanted to say... something.
"Um..."Rocky began. "I, uh, didn't really know your mom... but it sucks that she got blown away."
"Yeah," added Zack. "Sorry she got wasted."
Billy let their words roll around in his head for a minute. As he considered them, the others gasped in shock. Rocky and Zack wondered what the problem was. After all, they were just trying to express their sympathy... didn't Aisha say that it didn't really matter what they said?
"Yes... it does suck." Billy couldn't help it, he chuckled. "You know, that's probably the most honest thing anyone has said to me today." He chuckled more. "I'm sorry... I need some air." He wandered out the door, laughing to himself.
"Nice going." Adam hissed to Rocky and Zack. They looked at each other, wondering what they had done wrong.
"I thought we cheered him up." Rocky said slowly.
"I don't think he should be outside alone." Jason said softly. He started to head toward the door but Kimberly pulled him back.
"I'll go." she said. Jason, she knew, was a really nice guy and sure to be sympathetic, but somehow, she felt it was more of woman's job to be a shoulder to cry on. And, she thought, it gets me away from the viewing room. Kim's aversion to dead bodies was strong. Even Trini didn't argue... though she wanted to go with Kimberly.
It didn't take long to catch up to Billy. He was walking through the park slowly, still chuckling a little. Kimberly had an idea of what was really going on. Sometimes, when under stress, people had trouble expressing themselves appropriately. The last two days definitely qualified as stressful. She was more surprised that Billy was holding up as well as he was. She felt like a wreck.
"Billy?" she said hesitantly as she touched his shoulder. "Are you ok?"
He jumped a little. "Kimberly... I am so far from ok...." He felt the same rage that had risen at Jason a day earlier but a look at Kimberly's concerned face dissolved his anger, leaving behind the same empty feeling from before. "You don't understand."
"No." she agreed. "I don't understand... but I'm worried about you. You're probably my oldest friend, Billy. Maybe I can't understand what you're going through but believe me, I care. We all do... I know Rocky and Zack meant well." As Billy blushed and looked down at his feet, Kimberly was struck by dejaÐvu. It was the old glasses, and old familiar mannerisms of their youth. She suddenly recalled old times, at school, in the park, and for the briefest of instants was overwhelmed with grief. Not for Mrs. Cranston, but for all of them. They were growing up. Soon enough, childhood would officially be over... and she realized that maybe, she did understand some of Billy's pain.
"I'm not mad at Rocky and Zack." he said softly. "It's just... so many people that I know never really knew my mom have saying 'I'm sorry'.... It seemed so superficial. At least Rocky and Zack were honest... and admit it, it was funny." He smiled briefly, a genuine smile and Kimberly couldn't help it, she smiled back and laughed.
"Ok, ok... I admit, that was a pretty classic Rocky and Zack moment." she agreed. She was beginning to think that Billy, while not all right, was at least coping to the best of his ability. A little gentle support from friends and family, and some time and he'd be ok. "Maybe we should head back."
He nodded, thought he was really in no rush. After spending all day sitting in the funeral home, it was safe to say that he had his fill of death. They walked back slowly, enjoying the night and each others company.
It was at that moment that Lord Zedd began his campaign to destroy the Blue Ranger. Zedd had realized that while sending down putties would be amusing, it would not cause the serious damage he really wanted. For once, he carefully studied the entire situation. After that, he hatched his plan and disguised a putty as a common, somewhat poor looking human and then gave it some direct instructions.
Neither Billy or Kimberly were paying much attention. The park was pretty empty, and it was getting late. They didn't hear the grungy looking guy sneak up on them until it was too late. The guy slammed them both to the pavement, kicked them both, stomped on Billy's glasses, grabbed Kimberly's purse, and ran away. For once, unfortunately, a putty had done exactly as told.
Billy groaned and slowly sat up, holding a hand to his aching ribs. "Kimberly, are you ok?" In the dark, without his glasses, Kimberly was a somewhat fuzzy pink blob.
"Oh... I think so." She sat up. " At least I didn't have my credit cards in there."
Billy felt around for his glasses. He picked them up, and saw Kim's face through the broken glass. As he cradled the glasses in his palm, an overwhelming wave of despair crashed through him. His fist clenched the broken glass but he didn't feel it. He watched in cold fascination as his blood dripped onto the pavement. In the moonlight, the blood didn't look red. It was black.
"Billy!" Kimberly grabbed his wrist and forced his fingers open. The bloody glass tinkled gaily as it hit the pavement. Billy continued staring at the blood. Kimberly shook him. "Billy, you're scaring me! Stop it!"
He looked up at her. "It doesn't hurt." he said simply. He looked at the broken glass and blood and sighed. "It was my fault... I was trying to deny it, but I can't." He clenched his fist again. "Why doesn't it hurt me?" He opened his fist and examined the bleeding cuts. Kimberly held her breath in fear. He grinned coldly. "I'm hurting you more than me, aren't I? Why do I always hurt the people I care about? Do you know why Kimberly?"
"Billy... you need stitches." She gently pulled him to his feet.
"I know why." he said. Kimberly was afraid to hear his answer. But, as they walked back to the funeral home, he was silent.
In a way, that only made her more afraid.
~*~
She got up out of bed and debated whether or not to wake up Kimberly. Kimberly was wrecked emotionally from the night before. Getting robbed.... Billy acting so strange... she decided to let Kim sleep a little longer. The day was going to be long enough.
She quietly stepped around Kimberly and Aisha's sleeping forms on the floor and got dressed. Kimberly and Aisha had stayed overnight... by the time Kim had finished giving a statement to the police, it was so late that inviting them over seemed like the best thing to do.
At least Billy hadn't had to talk to the police. She figured it would've been a lost cause anyway... Lately, at his best, Billy was barely coherent, and last night was just not a good night. He'd been too... out of it by the time the police arrived. And, of course, he'd been bleeding.
Trini was honestly at a loss. She believed Kimberly, and what Kimberly had said happened. She knew, having heard from both Tommy and Kimberly... and really, from just knowing Billy, that Billy was having more than just a tough time. She didn't expect him to just bounce back... that was unreasonable, but until last night, she hadn't been... well, afraid to leave him alone. Tommy, sensing her fear, had gone along with Billy and his dad to the hospital, and insisted he keep Billy company that night. Billy hadn't really protested.... Trini had a feeling he simply didn't care.
The incident in the park disturbed her. It seemed... too convenient. It was true that the park wasn't really busy at night but there had to have been be tter opportunities than Kim's purse. And why did the mugger break Billy's glasses? It was an unnecessary action. An action that accomplished nothing to the thief... unless it hadn't really been a thief.
She wondered. It could have been one of Lord Zedd's minions but... it was a pretty subtle attack. Still, if it was Lord Zedd, he'd done his job almost too well. Billy had been driven close to the edge by the death of his mom. Getting attacked in the park, whether by Lord Zedd or just some hoodlum, had hurt Billy in some awful way that none of them could really understand.
She walked the stairs. Her mom had left already, probably to help set up the flowers, but on the counter were fresh muffins. She smiled weakly. It was so like her mom to try to cheer people up with baking. She wondered what Billy and Tommy were having for breakfast.
~*~
Sadly, as he pawed through the food, he realized that there was no breakfast stuff, or cookies for that matter. He made a mental note to tell his aunt to bring something other than dinner food, and grabbed a roast beef sandwich.
He heard the TV click on in the living room. He looked in, and found Billy curled up on the sofa, channel surfing. An odd thing... Billy wasn't much of a TV watcher. Billy didn't acknowledge him, he kept flipping through the channels until he found what he was looking for. CNN. They both watched for several minutes as the newscaster doled out the daily footage of death and destruction. Billy finally noticed Tommy standing in the doorway. "Hey."
"You're up early." Tommy was surprised. They'd gotten in pretty late the night before. They'd both dropped right off, but Billy looked pretty tired still. It was only seven in the morning.
"It's a big day." Billy said, returning his eyes to the news broadcast.
Tommy sat down on the floor, and munched his sandwich nervously. Billy had that far away look. Tommy had a feeling that Billy's mind was working on overdrive on ways to keep kicking himself for what happened. Unlike Trini, and the rest of the Rangers, Tommy had already decided not to interfere.... Billy, he knew from his own experience, wasn't going to magically feel better if everyone told him it wasn't his fault. If pressed, Tommy planned to ask the obvious, which was what could Billy have done differently? There wasn't much, as he saw it.
On the other hand, Tommy knew that the situation was a lot different than when his own parents were killed. He didn't see it happen, for one thing. Many caring, concerned relatives had converged on him to give him support, for another. Tommy knew that Billy's dad was trying... but he was hurting too, and hadn't really picked up on his son's problems. There weren't any close relatives... a few cousins that didn't visit much. No grandparents, a couple aunts and uncles that lived too far away to come to the funeral... Billy was pretty much on his own, except for his friends, and deep down, Tommy knew that the only person who could help Billy was Billy himself. All he could do was be a friend... and maybe prevent Billy from doing something stupid.
Billy flipped the channel to another news program. "Have you ever noticed that the news is always the same? Even... even after we fight a monster, and defeat Lord Zedd's evil... no one seems to care. People just keep doing the same thing... committing crimes... hurting other people. It never stops. No one cares." He paused, his eyes still on the screen. "Nothing we do matters."
"Billy... of course it matters." Tommy could see where that was heading. He began to wonder how much of what happened was random bad luck and how much of it was Lord Zedd's doing. A demoralized Ranger...a Ranger without hope, was as potentially dangerous as one of Zedd's monsters. "Think of what Angel Grove would be like without us."
"What's it like with us?" Billy finally looked at him, his eyes hard. "We don't help people... not really. Criminals are free to do whatever they please. What good is being a Power Ranger if we can't even protect the people we care about?"
"That's not really our job...." Tommy began.
"Maybe it should be. " Billy pulled out his morpher awkwardly with his bandaged hand, and looked at it. "We're hypocrites, Tommy. We say we want to stop all the violence but we don't... we don't do any good at all." He threw the morpher at Tommy. "I quit. "
Tommy picked up the coin and holder, not really sure of what to say. "I'll take this..." he said finally, "but I don't accept your resignation. You... you need to take some time to think about this... If you really want to quit, I can't stop you...."
You're right, you can't." Billy muttered.
"Billy...." Tommy hated what he was about to say, but it was the only thing he thought would work. "You have to understand... even if you'd broken every single Power Ranger rule... you still couldn't have saved your mom. Even morphed... none of us are that quick... she'd still be dead. Even a Power Ranger couldn't have saved her."
"Shut up! " Billy got up and stalked across the room. "I could've saved her! I just... didn't think, and now she's dead and its my fault! I could've... morphed or...." His voice trailed off. "It should've been me...."
"But it wasn't. " Tommy shook Billy, his anger and fear getting the best of him. "And there's nothing you can do to change that. There never really was. The second your mom walked through that door... she never had a chance and there's nothing you could've done. That doesn't make it your fault. You weren't robbing that store and you didn't pull the trigger."
"No, I didn't do anything." Billy pushed him off. "I had time to morph but I didn't. I didn't think, and now she's dead." He stomped out of the room, leaving behind the power coin. Tommy picked it up again. If Billy had broken the rules... he was right. Maybe there was an outside chance that Mrs. Cranston would still be alive.
He wondered if he could get Alpha to run the odds through the computer. He had to do something.
~*~
"Gimme a sec." She held up her hands, causing Rocky to rise on his tiptoes as she clenched his collar. "I'm working on Rocky's tie." Rocky gasped for air and tugged at her hands. "Oh... sorry." She let go and he inhaled deeply.
"Jeez, Kim, I'll do it myself... it's safer." He grinned to let her know he was kidding.
"I'm sorry... I can't do anything right." She burst into tears. "I feel so awful...." She sat down on the Kwan's living room sofa and sobbed. "First Mrs. Cranston getting killed... and last night...."
"I think we all feel bad, Kimberly." Aisha said gently.She took a seat beside Kim, while the four guys gathered round in a clump. "Right guys?"
They nodded, obviously uncomfortable. Aisha sighed. Guys could be such... guys sometimes. In her opinion, it was really no wonder Billy was expressing himself in such repressed ways... he was infected with the same "guy" illness that they all had. She gave Kimberly a hug, and glared at the menfolk.
"I just...." Kim dabbed her eyes. "I never thought Angel Grove was... bad, like this...."
"It's not." They all turned and looked at the new voice. Trini stood in the doorway, her whole countenance wild with anger. She was almost glowing, her intensity crackled around her like electricity. She strode into the room, leaving behind waves of pure energy.
"I went to the park." Her voice was ice cold. "I thought it was odd that the thief intentionally broke Billy's glasses. I looked at the pavement, for clues." She paused dramatically. "There was clay all over. It was a putty that robbed you last night, Kim. It was a trick... a rotten, rotten trick!" She whacked a lamp off one of the end tables. "I feel like ripping off Lord Zedd's head with my bare hands!"
"We should go tell Billy this." Zack said quickly. "I bet it would make him feel better... a little better, anyway."
Ties were quickly, and inexpertly tied, and the group departed, feeling happy that they could give some good news to their friend.
~*~
"Never fear, my pet." crooned Zedd. "I have already planned for just such an outcome. I will send down Grim Reaper to capture the Rangers. With just the White Ranger left to help, the Blue Ranger will be crushed like an ant! Ha Ha Ha!"
~*~
"Foolish Rangers!" it shouted. "Did you really think that Lord Zedd would let you foil his plan?"
"Well," Rocky said, thinking about it, "That is pretty much the way things happen." His remark incensed Grim Reaper, who waved his magic scythe and slammed Rocky into a tree. Rocky fell to the ground in a limp pile, struck unconscious by the force of the blow.
Adam and Aisha ran to his fallen form, knowing that it was not a wise idea to get in the middle of a battle between good and evil. Rocky had just given them a reminder of that important truth.
"It's Morphin' Time!" shouted Jason. In seconds the four Power Rangers stood, ready for battle.
"We've had it with your tricks!" Zack shouted.
"Yeah! We're not gonna let you get away with it!" Trini added.
"Oh please..." Grim Reaper was, oddly enough, not particularly patient. "You'll do nothing! With a wave of my scythe, I'll send you to the center of the Evil Sapphire Labyrinth... You can not escape! And when your fellow rangers try to rescue you... they'll be trapped by its spell of deception." Before the Rangers could react, he did just what he said. Adam, Aisha and Rocky watched in horror as their friends disappeared. Then, they felt a sensation that was starting to get all too familiar... the sensation of teletransport.
~*~
Rocky moaned and sat up, Aisha giving him support with her hands. "Oh... man, remind me not to be so stupid...."
Zordon frowned at them. "Rocky, Adam, Aisha... I had Alpha teleport you here for your safety. Had the Grim Reaper transported you to the Evil Sapphire Labyrinth... not being Power Rangers...." The nonÐrangers got the point.
"As it is," Tommy said, pointing to the papers, "The others were demorphed when they entered the labyrinth. Zordon, we have to get them out ."
"Yes Tommy." said Zordon. "We will have to call Billy."
"Ummm..." Aisha looked around, "Why isn't Billy here?"
"He's been upset...." Tommy said hesitantly.
"It has become clear," Zordon intoned, "that Lord Zedd has taken advantage of these unfortunate circumstances. While he was not responsible for the death of Billy's mother, he has manipulated the situation to heighten Billy's sense of despair." Zordon frowned even more. "I believe Lord Zedd's plan is to use the labyrinth to trap Billy and destroy him."
"I'll keep an eye on him." said Tommy, "But, I gotta call him... I can't do this without him."
~*~
Or maybe there was. His communicator chimed. He ignored it at first hoping that either it was just his imagination or that Tommy would take the hint and leave him alone. It chimed again.
"What?" he growled.
"Billy," Tommy's voice crackled over the line, "We really need your help."
He wanted to cry. Not from grief, but from frustration. "Tommy... can't you leave me alone? My mom's funeral is in two hours... can we play the makeÐBillyÐfeelÐbetter game after that? I'm really not in the mood right now!"
The communicator was silent. Finally, he thought, I got through to him. Then, in a flash of blue, he was transported.
~*~
"Hey? You ok?" Tommy asked. "We had to get you here."
Without warning, Billy swung his fist, and hit Tommy in the stomach. "I told you to leave me alone!" he said, his voice shaky with anger. He watched without sympathy as Tommy slowly uncurled from the blow. Adam, Aisha, and Rocky watched on in shock.
"Oh man..." Tommy muttered. He straightened up, and took a step towards Billy. "Billy... believe me... the last thing I would ever do is try to mess up your mom's funeral. I know you feel rotten but," and he held up a hand to stop Billy from protesting, "You don't know what's been going on. Lord Zedd has manipulated you into feeling even worse. He used your mom's death against you...."
"Yeah," said Adam, "Last night in the park... it was a putty that attacked you, not some criminal."
"Kimberly thought you were doing okay," Aisha added, "I mean, she said you were down and all, but, you know, dealing with stuff. And then Zedd tricked you into thinking that everything you do as a power ranger is pointless... but it was just a trick. Don't you see?"
They had gotten to him, Tommy could tell. Billy leaned up against the computer console and sighed heavily. "All right... I'll help... but this doesn't change the basic facts, Tommy. It was my fault." He took the sheaf of paper and scanned through them. He frowned.
"What?" Tommy asked hesitantly.
Awareness slowly shook Billy's despondence away, and it was replaced with an icy bolt of fear. "Tommy... this whole thing is a trap. The Sapphire Labyrinth is designed to capture anyone who's power source isn't focused on the color blue. If you go in... you'll be captured and sent to the center with the others...."
"Indeed," said Zordon, "The only person who can safely traverse the maze and free the others is you, Billy." Zordon sighed. "Zedd has planned this carefully.... Billy, it is most certainly a trap designed to destroy you. If you fail to reach the center, the others will be lost in the dimension of despair."
"But if I don't go... they'll be lost anyway. Right?" Billy frowned again as Zordon nodded. "I have to try... I can't let that happen...." He reached behind his back for his morpher, and blushed when he remembered what he'd done with it.
Tommy handed it to him. "We'll monitor you from here. Be careful."
"I will." Tommy didn't like the way he said that. Billy had, as of late, been awfully self destructive and guilt was playing way too big a part of the whole scenario.
He pulled Billy a little closer. "I mean it," he said. "Don't get stupid in there. That's exactly what Zedd wants. Getting yourself drained of power or worse isn't going to help anyone."
"Understood."
But Tommy wondered, and as his friend morphed away, he felt a cold chill.
~*~
"Billy?" He spun around. It was Kimberly. She shouldn't be here, he thought, she should be with the others. But there she was, looking a little upset and angry.
"Kimberly, are you ok?" He was worried. She was a friend, after all, and she did seem irritated.
"Okay? Of course I'm not ok, you stupid dullard!" She grabbed ahold of his power suit and smacked him into the wall. "Last night, I was just trying to make you feel better and I got attacked! Then, your little freakout session had me so worried, I went through the park and got captured! This is all your fault! Jerk!"
He pushed her away. Something was wrong, he knew that. "You're not Kimberly." he said as he eyed the impostor warily.
"What? What do you mean?" said the Kimberly clone as it straightened its pink skirt. "How can you tell?"
"Well, for starters, Kimberly doesn't even know what the word dullard means, let alone how to use it correctly." The clone glared, obviously found out, and turned into a giant tentacled monster. It jumped at him, but after a moments struggle, Billy whomped it on a giant z, and like a putty, it shattered. He shrugged, and moved on.
He knew he was getting close. The walls were glowing brightly, and faintly, he could hear his friends calling for help. He turned a corner, sure that he would find his friends.
And ran into his mom. "Mom?"
"Billy." Her voice was cold. He stepped closer but she backed away, and frowned.
"Mom, what's wrong?" His mind was reeling. He knew that there was no way she could be there but....
"What's wrong?" She glared at him. "I'm dead... does that jog your memory? Don't you remember?" She snapped her fingers.
Suddenly, Billy found himself in the mini mart again. Only, it was an eerily lit mini mart... and he could see himself, in his soccer uniform. Buying band aids. He didn't want to watch but he couldn't turn away as the scene played itself out.
"You could have saved me." June intoned darkly.
"No... it happened too fast. You don't know what you're saying," he said weakly. She snapped her fingers and the scene played again. And again.
"You were too slow." She made the scene go in slow motion. "You didn't think... and now I'm dead. Some Power Ranger you are. It should've been you. It was all your fault." Tears came to his eyes and he nodded in agreement. Seeing her victory, she played the scene in slow motion again. He watched numbly as the thief grabbed his other self. His mother opened the door. The otherÐBilly shouted a warning, tried to do something but the thief slammed the otherÐBilly into the counter, and fired his weapon. Even in slow motion, it happened so fast....
Slowly, realization dawned on him. He spun away from the clone. "It wasn't my fault! There was no way anyone could have saved you! No one is that fast... not even a Power Ranger." He looked down at his gloved hands. "I couldn't save you."
"You killed me." she said icily. "You didn't save me... that makes you guilty."
"No it does not! I didn't kill you. That thief did... and there wasn't anything I could do...." He looked at the image of his mother. "You're not real! You're just some illusion of Lord Zedd... trying to trick me!"
She nodded and turned into another one of the tentacled beast things that seemed to live in the labyrinth. "Foolish Ranger!" it snarled. "I might've let you live... after draining your powers!" It made a grab for him, but, fueled by the rage of having been horrifically manipulated, he kicked it squarely in the z. It shattered. The mini mart disappeared, leaving behind the labyrinth walls. He hesitated just for a second, a little shaken up by the events and then ran towards the sound of the other rangers voices.
~*~
"If you'd listened to me and sent down putties when I told you to... instead of this silly Sapphire Labyrinth routine." Rita threw up her hands. "I've got a headache!"
Zedd glared at the earth. "Mark my words, Power Rangers.... I will prevail!"
~*~
"Come in." They stepped into Billy's room and looked. He was sitting on the bed, his tie hanging crookedly. He'd obviously been crying... crying hard from the look of things. That, they took as a good sign. He made an effort to get straightened up. "Hey guys...."
"Hey, how you doing?" Jason asked.
"I think I'll be all right." Billy said quietly. "Guys, I want you to know... I'm real sorry about how awful I've been lately."
Trini sat down beside him. "Billy, you don't have to apologize. We understand."
"You'd do the same for us." Jason added gently.
Affirmative, but... I really hope I don't ever have to." Billy said slowly. They all nodded.
"Um..." Jason pulled out a small, gaily wrapped box. "We got you a present... it's from all of us... but everyone else had to go home... you know."
"You shouldn't have...." Billy opened the box. Inside was a pair of glasses. His jaw dropped in surprise.
"Your dad told us your prescription." Tommy said.
"We knew you were upset about losing your old pairs." Trini added helpfully.
And even thought your dad said you were gonna get contacts... we thought you might want a spare pair." Jason concluded. "You know... for old times sake."
"Guys... I don't know what to say." Billy felt like crying again. "I'll keep these in a safe place... just in case."
Sensing that Billy was about to burst into tears, Trini stood. "Well... we gotta go."
"Yeah."said Jason, " But listen, if you need anything... just call."
"We're here for you, buddy." said Tommy.
Billy looked down at the new pair of glasses and realized that, while the next few weeks would be rough, Tommy was right. He wasn't alone.